A MESSAGE TO A KING. 15 A MESSAGE TO A KING. ON the early part of the reign of Alexander I., Bible reading and habits of piety and devotion were held in contempt among the upper classes in Russia; and when Prince Galitzin, in utter ignorance of religion, became a magnate in the Church by imperial appointment, he was obliged to purchase a Bible secretly, that he might acquaint himself with the first principles of Christianity. His stolen study of the holy Book soon influenced the character and manners of the once haughty noble, so that all who dared to do so sneered at him. In course of time Napoleon invaded Russia, and all St. Petersburg prepared either to fight or flee. Galitzin alone remained unmoved. His palace was undergoing extensive repairs, and he continued to superintend them as composedly as if his country was in the midst of the profoundest peace. The Czar was astonished at the apparent unconcern of his favourite prince, and, before putting himself at the head of his armies, he called on him, half fearing for the soundness of Galitzin's patriotism. "What does it mean," said he, "that you go on building, when every one else prepares to flee? "The Lord is my defence, sire," answered Galitzin; "I am as safe here as anywhere." Alexander demanded to know where he had found this new confidence, and the Prince showed him his Bible. Strange as it may seem, it was the first Bible the Czar had ever seen. The first place which he opened was at the ninety-first Psalm-" He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty," &c.; and Galitzin read to him the whole of that sweet, grand Scripture. Profoundly impressed, the Czar repaired to the cathedral for public worship preparatory to departing on his campaign. The priest who conducted the service, by a singular coincidence, chose the ninetyfirst Psalm to read-" He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." “Did Galitzin tell you to select that ?” said Alexander. "I have not seen Galitzin," said the priest. "I only prayed the Lord to be Guide in my choice." The Czar went a day's march with his army, and in the evening, feeling anxious and serious, he ordered his chaplain to read to him in his tent. The chaplain began to read, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." "Hold!" cried Alexander; "did Galitzin tell you to read that to me?" "Assuredly not, sire," said the chaplain. "I asked God to direct me to a passage, and then I felt constrained to select this Psalm." From that time Alexander secretly got access to a Bible every day, and read it with wonder and delight; and, when Divine Providence scattered the great army of Napoleon, and drove it out of Russia with a loss of 450,000 men, the Czar returned to his capital, borrowed Galitzin's Bible, and applied himself eagerly to the study of its precious pages, until it is said he made them the rule of his life. Some years afterwards two missionaries, who were preaching and teaching the Scripture in St. Petersburg, learned this story from the mouth of Prince Galitzin, and heard the Czar himself confirm it, during an impressive and memorable interview which he granted them at the palace. One of those missionaries was Stephen Grellet, a Quaker, who recorded the facts in his journal.-Selected. MAN's most difficult knowledge is the knowledge of himself. A SETTLER'S ESCAPE FROM INDIANS. UST below Kanawha Falls, in West Virginia, writes a correspondent of a Louisville, U.S., paper, is an overhanging rock jutting out about one hundred feet over the seething whirlpool, and about the same height above. This was once the scene of a remarkable adventure. The Indians were in hot pursuit of Van Bibber, a settler and man of distinction in those early times. He was hard pressed, and, all access to the river below and above being cut off, he was driven to this jutting rock, which proved to be the jumping-off place for him. He stood on the rock, in full view of the enemy, who yelled triumphantly at the certainty of his speedy capture. He stood up boldly, and with his rifle kept them at bay. As he stood there he looked across the river, and saw his wife, with her babe in her arms, all helpless to render assistance. They stood as if petrified with terror and amazement. Presently she cried at the top of her voice, Leap into the river, and meet me!" Laying her babe on the grass, she sprang into a skiff and seized the oars, As she neared the middle of the river her husband saw the Indians coming in full force, and yelling like demons. "Wife, wife," he screamed, "I'm coming! Drop down a little lower!" With this he sprang from his crag, and descended like an arrow into the water. He rose near her. In a moment the canoe was alongside of him, and she helped him to scramble into it, amid a shower of arrows and shot that the baffled Indians poured upon them. The daring wife did not speak a word. Her husband was more dead than alive, and all depended on her strength being maintained till they could reach the bank. This they did, just where she had started, right where the babe was still lying crowing and laughing. Some men pulled the skiff high up on the sand, and the wife slowly arose and helped to lift Van Bibber to his feet. He could not walk, so she laid him down by his babe, and then, seating herself, she gave vent to her pent-up feelings, and wept wildly, as a wife and mother might be expected to do under the circumstances. That babe is now a grandfather, and that rock is called "Van Bibber's Rock" to this day. CHARITY. ONLY a drop in the bucket, It was all I had to give; And some toys-they were not new, Only some old, worn garments, They were all I had to spare ; A word now and then of comfort, Though the gifts are poor and small; Who grudge if they give at all? E. M. TRUTH is the basis of every virtue, for "He that does one fault at first, And lies to hide it, makes it two." AIR ENGINES FOR STREETS AND RAILWAYS. 17 AIR ENGINES FOR STREETS AND RAILWAYS. PRACTICAL experiment was recently made with an air engine at Woolwich, which so far affords hope that before long humanity and economy may be promoted by the abolition of tramway horses, and that the sufferings of travellers by the underground railways may be mitigated by the substitution of atmospherical power for sulphurous locomotives propelled by steam. The engine, which has been designed by Major Beaumont, Royal Engineers, has been for some time running on the short lines of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich; and, although weighing but ten tons, it has proved capable of hauling a burden of sixteen tons up a fair incline. Arrangements were made to try its powers in a more extended run, such as engines of the kind would have to encounter on London tramways and rails. The air reservoir, which contains only one hundred cubic feet of air, was charged at the torpedo pumping-house in the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, up to a pressure of 1,000lb to the square inch, and with this store of energy it was proposed to run to and from Dartford, about sixteen miles. Major Beaumont was accompanied on the engine by Mr. C. S. Sears, assistant superintendent, South-Eastern Railway, and several other gentlemen, and explained the methods which he had adopted in his invention, the chief feature of which was the introduction of an almost imperceptible supply of steam by which the air, as it is admitted to the cylinder from the reservoir, is largely heated, and, as a matter of course, greatly increased in force. The engine is driven by six cylinders and a double set of machinery at one end, and, having no smoke stack, resembles in appearance a locomotive tender rather than a locomotive. It runs on four wheels, and in size is less than an ordinary omnibus. It left the Royal Arsenal Station at 12.22 p.m., with a full charge of 1,000lb to the inch, passed Abbey Wood Station at 12.27 with 940lb. on the gauge; Belvedere at 12.33, with 860lb.; and Erith at 12.36, with 760lb., arriving at Dartford at 12.50, with a remaining energy of 540lb. on the square inch. Shunting at the station reduced this pressure somewhat, and at 1.35 the return journey commenced with a store of 510lb., although the minimum for effective working is considered to be a pressure of 200lb. Plumstead Station was reached again at 2.10, but the engine was nearly pumped out, having a pressure of barely Solb remaining. The strange-looking engine, running without steam or any other apparent motive power, was regarded with amusing wonder by the country people as it passed at full speed, and was naturally an object of unusual interest at the various railway stations. It was stated that another engine is under construction much more powerful-capable, in fact, of travelling double the distance with a single charge. The operation of pumping the compressed air occupies about fifteen minutes, and it is calculated that an air engine on this principle as large as the usual steam locomotive of fifty tons weight, would be considerably more powerful than any locomotive yet made. The objection to steam that it frightens horses cannot apply to this system, as there is no escape of steam visible or audible, and the only noise to be distinguished is a rumbling sound something similar to the rattle of street traffic. The general belief of those who witnessed the experiment was, that the application of atmospheric power to the science of travelling was a thing of the near future.-Times. A LITTLE wealth will suffice to live by, and less to die happily. THE poorest education that teaches self-control is better than the best that neglects it. CLEAN HANDS, PURE LIPS. HY didn't you strike back, you goosie?" I paused in my sewing and looked out, unobserved, upon a group of little folks playing near my window. One child was running away rapidly, the others stood beside little Amy Horton, who gazed ruefully at her own fat hand, and tried hard not to cry. Such a little girl was Amy-the only child of a young widow but lately moved into our village. Of Mrs. Horton we, the people of R-, knew as yet nothing, save that, since by manners we usually judge, she was a lady in every respect-gentle, quiet, and refined. I had not yet given myself the pleasure of calling upon the new neighbour. Little Amy, however, child-fashion, had grown familiar with the children of the neighbourhood, and they had made a pet very quickly of the five-year-old stranger. What could be the trouble now, I wondered, seeing Amy's flushed face, and catching the scowl on the brow of the questioner who asked, "Why did you not strike back again?" I listened for the answer with interest"'Cause 'cause-my mamma would -wouldn't kiss my hands-if I—struck anybody!" sobbed the injured little one, rubbing the red hand with the other plump white one, evidently quite hurt both in flesh and feelings. "Wouldn't kiss your hands!" exclaimed her listeners wonderingly. 66 What do you mean, Amy? What a queer idea!" I was as much interested as either of the children, and, peeping through the vines clustering about the window, quite safe from childish observation, I listened for Amy's explanation. "Mamma always kisses my hands when they have not been naughty, and it is naughty to strike. That little girl's mamma won't kiss her hands to-night, will she?" Amy's blue eyes looked up into the faces around her, and, full of wonderment at her words, the sympathetic children kissed and pitied her to her heart's content. Then I went out and talked to the little one, with a new respect for the true mother whom, more than ever, I desired to know. "Will you take me to your house, dear?" I asked with a smile, and stooping to kiss the small, grieved face. Oh, Mrs. —," cried the children in a chorus, "what do you think? That Sally Jones struck Amy real hard on her arm and hand just because Amy didn't want to walk with her! Wasn't it the meanest thing?" I agreed, rather indignantly, that it was the meanest thing, and then we walked along the road to where Amy's mother lived. At my suggestion the children remained outside while I made my long-intended call upon Mrs. Horton. After a while I repeated Amy's remark, and, asking pardon for curiosity, begged to know more about the sweet idea. Mrs. Hoiton laughed, but I saw the glisten of the tears in her eyes as she replied "Maybe I am foolish, Mrs. ——, but, ever since my little one was given me, I have loved to kiss the little baby hands as well as baby lips. I used to lay the soft pink palms upon my mouth and kiss them until my baby laughed. As she grew older, I still kept up the custom, and, when night came, and undressing her, if I failed to kiss the little hands, Amy knew it was because they were not quite clean from naughtiness. If they had been lifted in anger during the day, if they had struck at nursie or a little playmate, mamma could not kiss them because they were not clean; and to miss the kiss was very hard for my baby, I assure you. It was the same with the little lips. If a naughty word had escaped them-I mean wilfully naughty word-or if my little girl had not A CLEVER ELEPHANT. spoken quite the truth during the day, I could not kiss the lips, although I always kissed her on the cheeks and forehead, and never allowed her to go unkissed to bed. But she cared more for kisses on the hands and lips than for anything else in the world, I believe-my loving little Amy; and gradually the naughty ways were done away with, and each night my baby would say, 'Tean hannies to-night, mamma tean hannies for 'oo to tiss !' And even now, though she is five years old, I keep up a custom which she has known from her birth, because I think it helps her to try to be good. You will laugh, maybe, Mrs., but I do want my little girl to grow up obedient and good; and, if the love of mamma's kisses can help to do this, I think I shall continue the custom until Amy is old enough to understand fully things that are too hard for her as yet." My own eyes were tearful when Mrs. Horton's voice ceased, and I envied little Amy her beautiful young mother's companionship. Did I think it a foolish idea? Ah! no; but the truest, sweetest custom in the world-keeping her small hands good for mamma's good-night kiss; and that is why Sally Jones was not "paid off in her own coin," as the saying is. This was why the sweet lips made no angry reply. Mamma's kiss was too precious a thing to be given up for one moment of evil speaking. Dear little Amy !-Wide Awake. ALL is hollow where the heart bears not a part; and all is in peril where principle is not the guide. THERE are two ways of getting richone by adding to our possessions; the other by diminishing our desires. The latter is much the easier and readier. If there were no night, there could never be sunrise; if no labour, no rest; if no winter, no spring; and, if there were no mourning, there could be no comfort. A CLEVER ELEPHANT. 19 ac OUIS JOCOLLIOT writes in his book, "Second Journey in Elephant-Land”:-"I was quainted in Ceylon with a major's family which possessed an elephant called Soupramany. This elephant acted as nurse to the children. He accompanied the little ones everywhere, in the forest and the bank of the river, and the little troup were often absent the whole day without any one feeling anxious about them. It sufficed to know that they were under the protection of the elephant to feel perfectly easy about them. One day, when I paid a visit to the house and asked for the eldest boy, for whom I had brought a book, the father said, 'Soupramany has taken them all fishing.' 'Fishing?' I asked with astonishment. 'Well, then,' continued the major, ' if you will come with me, we can reach the river in a few minutes, and surprise the party in the midst of their amusement.' "I accepted my friend's offer with pleasure, and in a short time we beheld the little company sitting quietly on the sandy bank of the river. Each child held a fishing-rod, and was absorbed in watching the float. On one side stood old Soupramany holding in outstretched trunk an immense bamboo cane with a hook and line on it, and fishing. He stood immovable as a granite block patiently waiting for a bite. "As may be imagined, I left the children alone, and confined my attention to the animal, nor had I long to wait before my attention was rewarded. The religious prejudices of the Hindoos forbid them to kill any living being, and, as a consequence, the waters teem with fish and the thickets with game. Presently the cork on Soupramany's line began to move. The elephant did not stir. His small burning eye followed with eager attention every movement of the float on the water. It was plain the elephant was an accomplished angler. He was waiting for the favour |